Plant Leather from Mushrooms and Pineapples

Move over Pleather, there are some new leather-like fabrics in town which are eco-friendly and not petroleum or animal hide based!

MuSkin is a 100% biodegradable vegetal fabric extracted from mushroom caps; it is “tanned” using chemical free methods. Resembling a very soft suede, it is breathable, pliable, water repellent, and durable.

Pinatex is created from the byproduct of pineapple farming, using waste material and upscaling it. The pineapple leaf fibers are strong and flexible; after separating the long fibers for use in the fabric, the leftover biomass can be used as a fertilizer for the pineapple fields, effectively closing the manufacturing loop.

Eco-leather is a leather-like fabric created with cotton, flax, or other natural fibers mixed with plant oils and heated. The layers press together to create a fabric that looks and feels like leather, with minimal waste. It is more affordable and durable than animal leather. So far, Nike, Puma, and Adidas have expressed interest in the product.